Note: This happens about an hour after the last chapter. It is not made after any comic or episode and the mercs of Team Vanguard are all my OC's.
Since several of Team Vanguard didn’t fully trust the other team would keep their words on the ceasefire, Jack decided they should stay in the area that once was a large office, now just a huge empty room. Wei puts down the mattresses and sheets while Jack tells team Fortress. “This room will be your sleeping quarters. How you will handle it is up to you.” Adding mostly to Antoine. “Don’t bother sneaking around at night.” Well aware that spies have a tendency of doing just that. “Chio has put up cameras all over the building, so even if you do cloak; she will know if you have gone places you're not supposed to.” The other spy does of course not show it but Jack has a strong feeling he is annoyed by this. With that warning said, Jack explains this new ally group. “When we have repaired our defenses and the medics have figured out how to return Francis back to the field, then we can talk about saving your scout and Dell’s boy from the Mirage team.” and with that, he leaves.
“This is going too slow.” Dell grumbles, who knows what this other team is doing to his son? But as his own brain and Miss Pauling reminds him. “They are still unsure we are trustworthy. Jack has any reason of being wary of us.” Dell sighs and nods he understand, truly he does. Doubt he would trust anyone from an enemy team. He had trouble even trusting the clone of Keahi back in the War Games. “I know, it’s just…” Logan did not ask for this. If anyone should be captured and possibly tortured; it should be him.
Antoine can relate with their engineer, he too worries deeply on how his own boy is doing. Unlike Dell’s son who is only leverage, Jeremy has information and he has been working long enough for Mann Co to know that the mercs the company hires are not known for their mercy or sympathy. So it is very lucky they managed to form this shaky alliance with this other merc team. He is certain the only reason for this is because both teams share the connection of the Elements residing in their bodies and he happens to be blood-related to one of their spies. Without that, then the outcome could’ve been a whole lot different. “They will help us as soon they know we are on their side.” He tells Dell and the Texan nods slowly. Reclaiming a cigarette from his disguise kit. “My suggestion; we should stay on our best behavior.”
“Spy’s right.” Miss Pauling says. “They won’t help if they fear we will stab them in the back.” Casting a weird look to Tavish as he remarks with a laugh. “Doubt the respawn will be happy if we start fighting again.”
Brushing the fact that the respawn has gained a sense of sentience aside, Miss Pauling explains the team she will try and speed things up by talking to the Vanguard team leader but won't make any promises as Jack really do not trusts her.
**Next day**
“Up and at it boys!” Chio calls out to the hall, slamming two pots together, quite the rude waking, her own team is used to it though. Team Fortress is more or less as well, but they are used to it’s their soldier doing the rude alarm clock shtick.
“Seems like every team has one of those...” Lawrence grumbles and leaves the madras he has been sleeping on, he is the first fully dressed, but Jane is not far behind.
The two leave the room they have been sleeping in, and very easily find the place where the Vanguard team eats. Lawrence is a bit hesitant in joining these other people but when none of them really reacts when Jane takes a seat and claim the newly warmed bread, he joins at the table and quietly starts eating.
The others join not long after, the breakfast happens in silence, none sure if they should speak since this alliance is still on thin ice.
Chio is the one who breaks this awkward silence, telling everyone at the table. “The main entrance is in serious need of repairs.” She turns to Mikhail and Jane. “And I could use your manpower, so when you’re done eating—“
“I don’t take orders from a woman!” Jane snaps back, not noticing the others staring at him in disbelief or facepalm.
Chio is quick to throw this ball back though. “Oh I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware you needed balls between your leg to be good enough for such things!" she retorts, miffed at this subject once again came up. "Since you are too manly to hear me out, then what about you do it all by yourself?” She asks the quite caught off guard Jane hard, leaves and a moment later throws a checklist at his face. “This is what I found of disrepair, but since you don’t need me then perhaps you should check the place all over again.”
Not wanting to be looked down at a black woman. “And I will!” Jane declares and leaves, not realizing he got played by her.
Chio, still more than miffed over being insulted that she was lacking a chromosome, turns to the others. “Anyone else going to whine about my gender?” She demands them angrily, hands on her hips and looks more than ready to go on a tantrum on them as well. “Or will you let me do my job in making sure not another team of idiots blow up half of our base?”
Tavish can’t help but laugh of the sass from this woman. “That’s a woman after my heart! Too bad I am already taken.” He remarks to her, Chio chuckles and winks grinning to him. “So am I brother, now could you help our own Demoman in restocking our bombs?”
“Sure thing” Tavish salutes, unlike Solly he can see this woman knows what needs to be done and won’t question her. Leaving the table, he quickly spots the other Demoman and follows this also black but only a few years older than their own scout man. “You don’t sound like you’re from the savanna’s.” This younger Demoman remarks and he replies. “Nah, I’m from Scotland lad.” Amadi makes a ‘ohhh’ sound and after a moment of silence he says. “I and Chio are from South Africa.” That’s interesting, it’s not often he meets fellow black people and least ones originating from their original home continent. “How long have you been here in America?”
Amadi chuckles weakly. “Couple of years maybe? We came here in search of a job but Americans really do not like black people.”
Yup, he knows that feeling too. He and Solly sure hell didn’t start on good terms, it was only when they found out they both liked to hear the history of bombs they started getting on speaking terms. It was slow but over time Jane got able to look past his skin color.
“How did the two of you join this team then?” He asks Amadi, from what he got through the speeches Miss Pauling made during the War Games. Women were not allowed to become a merc, which is weird since their pyro proved to be one. Maybe because they got low on merc? Who knows, he was drunk half the time during those meetings.
Amadi still laughs of that memory. “Oh man, it was the funniest thing I had seen for a long time. Marcos had caught scent of Chio’s skills with computers and mine with explosives. He told us his team needed people like us and asked if we were interested. As you can see, we agreed. Jack was not happy, he was a huge racist jerk back then. Chio responded by kicking him right in the noggin before she walked over and helped Francis to fix their intercom.”
Tavish whistle of Chio boldness, she got guts he gives her that. “What did Jack do… after he recovered?”
“From the kick to the balls or his team be so amused that they straight out told him she has to stay?” Amadi laughs which his fellow black man does as well. “He was reluctant but let us stay and over time came to appreciate both her and me.” Both turn to the door when the sound of Chio start yelling at someone, reveals to be Jack by the sound of the voice. What they can hear it sounds like they are arguing about how to fix the sewer system. “They do that a lot. The rest of us simply lets them blow off their steam on one another.” He explains to his fellow Demoman. “Garry will step in if they get too caught up in the discussion— he’s our mediator you see.”
“Huh, I think we have one of those too.” Tavish realizes much to his own amusement. “Ours is Engineer.” Amadi laughs and asks with beaming eyes from talking with a fellow Demo. “Do you have the power duo as well?” Oh yeah, although he has another word for that duo, they have gotten more relaxed showing they are an item to the rest of the team. “Aye, that’s our medic and heavy. They make a mean übercharge pair.”
Amadi takes a moment to figure out what Tavish meant by übercharge. “Ohh you mean the charge— that’s what we call it. Well, our medic prefer using the Quick-fix, so we don’t have the charge. He usually sticks to Jack or me but we aren’t the big guns of the team.”
“Let me guess, one of them is the cowboy engineer.” Tavish says, what Dell told him, that man proved his powers when he gave Engie and Medic one hell of a smackdown yesterday, he nearly turned doc into a crisp! Reminds him never to piss off that man.
“He is our strongest guy, but he is not one of the power duo.” Amadi points out, Francis is deadly of course but only when he is really, really angry and usually he is hard to anger. So far only people daring to make a move or hurt Kreel and Fortress's medic has succeeded in making Francis angry. Usually, Francis prefers to stay back and work as the defense, letting the others go on the offensive. “Our power duo is pyro and heavy.”
“Really?”
Amadi nods. “Really, you will be surprised how much those two can wreck things when they first decide to team up.” The older Demoman laughs and as they head into the workshop to do the task Chio asked them. “Oh, I think that what killed me during our fight yesterday, not sure, I barely saw it coming.” Amadi laughs. “Yeah, that happens often when they start on that team up attack.”
** In the infirmary**
“Absolutely not!” Tristan snaps at this man who dares to call himself a doctor. “We will not use animal parts! I don’t care if it is easier, will make him stronger or whatever you think. We are going to use human parts, end of story.”
Annoyed Josef throws up his arms, already getting tired of this man stubbornness. “Your way is going to take forever! I doubt our scout can wait for you to find a suitable donor.” It’s not like Francis will feel the difference if his new organs will be from animals. Getting animal organs are surprisingly easier to get human organs, surely three spies can track down the parts they need on the black market. But nooo, this doctor is so darn set on sticking to the book. “Trust me, I have done this several times on my own team, it takes some skill but it works. Besides, I don’t hear them complaining.” He tells Tristan in matter of fact and is about to tell the other doctor about his accomplishment of the übercharge.
“Not anymore perhaps.” Tristan retorts with crossed arms. “But I am certain they did back when you started. Not like you cared I am sure. You might be smart, but there is a fine line between genius and insanity and you are clearly insane.” The other doctor brushes it off by saying apprehensive. “You have to be a bit insane when working for Mann Co.” True, for Mann Co to even consider hiring one, that person should already have a resume coated in blood. “I won't deny that. They want good doctors, and I am sure they saw you perfect for the job. Never mattered to them that one's accomplishments are covered in blood from innocent people, in fact, I think they wanted you to continue the experiment you did in Auschwitz.” As expected, that hit a nerve. Josef spins to him, sneering. “Don't mention that place, what I did; I only did it to survive!”
He thinks not, the operation to make the charge work is a clear indication of his old habits from that camp hasn't been erased during the War Games. “You might say that, and maybe you did it in the start. But don't come and tell me you're the victim when your past behavior told otherwise. We saw how indifferent you was about using animal organs by the sheer reason you want to see how the body reacts on it. I watched you laugh while you tore out Francis's eyes, glee at my struggle to recover from the drug you injected into me in order to save a comrade." Tristan walks past the man, telling him hard. "You can deny it as much as you like, but you can't fool me saying you did not have a choice. You enjoy performing these horrid experiments-- does not matter for what reason, as long you get something out from it, the torment of that person has been for the greater good.”
Josef fists his hands, fuming in anger of the nerve of this man, but deep down… he knows Tristan is right. This was how he was in the past… how he still is. Does not mean he likes hearing it. “Don’t lecture me about morals." He snaps at the other doctor. "Your papers told you have been just as bad as me.” Tristan's face reveals nothing of what the man is thinking, like Antoine, this man has the perfect poker face.
“I won’t deny that, yes I can be cruel and has done things I do regret. Most of those things I did during the War Games.” Tristan voices somewhat softly, he walks over to the blackboard showing diagrams on his theories how the alpha respawn works. “And yet, what I have done is only a drop in the bucket compared to you. To be honest, I am surprised respawn kept you alive for this long.” The other doctor does not answer, glancing back Tristan notices that Josef has a face that reveals he too is confused about this. That is interesting but Tristan is not really looking to sympathize this man who caused his team so much despair. “Maybe it hasn’t and you are living on borrowed time.” He turns back to his calculations. “I do wonder how your team will react on your respawn failure. Will they care? I doubt it, you are the sole reason why my team does not trust your team. And because of this, your scout-- along with that innocent child will suffer.” Tristan this time turns fully around to the German and calmly remarks to the trembling man. “Not that you would care, surely you could’ve done so much more harm than Team Mirage ever could.”
He tried to keep it cool, but this man just had to keep pushing it. Josef’s hands flare with magic and in reaction to his now quite messy emotions of anger and despair, it lashes out.
Tristan flinches from the sudden attack, surprised he strokes a finger over the slash wound he received over his shoulder, eyeing the blood for a moment the man then turns his hard gaze to Josef, who is more than a little startled on how the magic reacted. This has never happened before, and it scares him in knowing this power can strike out, both on those surrounding him but also against his own body in reaction to his deep regret. He backs away from the intense watching and also glaring Tristan. “That was an accident...” He tells the man weakly, not wanting to ruin the alliance for the others, least when they need Team Vanguard’s corporation in order to be able to respawn.
Tristan believes the man this time, he knows how hard it is to fake startled reactions, and looking in Josef’s eyes, he can see fear in those steel-blue orbs, he does forget about that when he notices that the slash over the cheek the German got from this weird power— Josef hasn’t touched the roots of the alpha respawn. Whatever this is, Tristan’s own curiosity is perked when watching the other man’s wound heal right before his eyes. This does give him an idea, and this is the time where his own cruelty comes into play. “I believe you.” He tells the other man and with his own power, he forces Josef down onto his knees, and inject the same drug he gave Antoine yesterday into the man. The moment Josef was knocked out, he does not waste a second in his own experiment, well aware this self-healing might reduce the time on that sleep sedation.
He does wake sooner than expected, all thanks to the self-healing this magic Celestia granted him. He wakes in a very inappropriate timing and Josef cry of pain got muffled by the gag the other doctor has been smart enough to stuff into his mouth, well aware that no person can stay quiet when their leg's gets cut open. Instinctive he tries to get away but again Tristan has been smart and restrained him to the medical table, keeping him in place.
“And this is where my form of cruelty comes in.” Tristan tells him in a matter of fact as he cuts deeper into the leg with his own bonesaw. Curiously, not much blood leaves the torn flesh. “I will do whatever it takes to heal those I care about. Even if it means the torture of another.”
Josef does not yell at the man nor curses his name. He gets it, not sure what Tristan is trying to get from him, only that he does it for Francis sake.
Another muffled scream of the excruciating pain from Tristan cutting past the muscles and almost passes out when the blond breaks the thighbone. Josef must say that this pain scales up to the same level as Pyro's flames, again he understands why the other doctor does not bother to give him anesthetic to this procedure, for starters it won’t work and another… well, Josef has a feeling that the true reason why Tristan does not give him any is the blond's way of cruel retribution.
So true, Josef really gets the sense what it means to be the victim on the table, forced to suffer from a doctor unknown experiment. However even if he is in great pain, Josef do take notice that he is barely bleeding even if his whole thigh has been opened up. He’s in too much agony to figure out why but he does note himself in asking when Tristan is done.
Tristan grabs a hypodermic needle and sucks out the bone marrow from the German’s bone. He does not close up the leg as he needs to be sure he got enough for this idea he got. Leaving Josef, he heads over to his telescope, checks the cells and smirks seeing that the generative ability are in there as well. “Perfect.” He pulls out both the tissue and blood sample he got from Francis, tries to mix them up with Josef bone marrow cells. What he gets is encouraging but he needs more time and a deeper understanding of the cloning progress if this is going to work. Oh, which reminds him.
Tristan picks up another needle, walks over to Josef who does a rather good job not screaming his lungs out from the agony he’s definitely going through. “Good news, you might actually redeem yourself towards my team.” He smirks, grabs the other man’s jaw so he won’t move and jag the needle into his eyes.
**Inside the workshop**
Garry and Francis do each their repairs on weapons, the archer does it on his own bow from the hit it took from Ignis while Francis smelt more bullets for the team, he does stop his work for a moment when Garry suddenly asks. “What do you think of Fortress?” Francis lets out a grunt as his only reply, he still thinks they did a mistake letting this team respawn. The only thing keeping him from shooting them all is the fact that he respects Jack.
Garry does not speak further, good for Francis is not really in the mood for talking. He does feel bad he isn’t, but it’s hard to let go of his anger, more when he is reminded what that doctor did to him every time he walks or tries to read. At least he can still be of some use by making the team bullets, but he misses working with more detailed tasks.
A knock and Francis stops his work, turning he can see it’s Fortress’s engineer with the pyro close behind.
“Would it be alright if I helped you out?” Dell asks the other engineer as polite as he can. He has no wish in anger Francis, partly because of the man’s power but mainly because he knows in order to save Scout and his son, they need Vanguard’s help. Francis huffs and returns back to work… okay? Dell is not sure if that is a hint he should get out or if it’s alright to stay.
Well, seems like he again has to be the one building bridges. “You good in repairs?” Garry asks Dell, and hands the other engineer his metal bow. “It got quite the beating and my skills in engineering is not that great.” He explains the other man, thinking this simple task might put them both on good foot with one another.
Francis knows what Garry is doing, man always been the friendly one but it still angers him that he cannot do the archer’s repairs anymore. “I can’t do it since your medic gorged out my eyes.” He remarks darkly and has to take a deep breathe when flames appear around his hands.
He did see those flames though, and that remark… Dell can only imagine how the man is feeling. The mere thought of losing the ability to build, be a hindrance instead of an important asset to the team, it’s scary. At least Me- Josef realized his mistake. “Doc is trying to make up for it.” Dell tells the other engineer somberly.
“Only because we didn’t give him a choice.” Francis snorts and now on the subject, he stops his work entirely and turns to this seemly friendly man, but they all saw his true side when the War Women got a hold on him. And you might as well drop the act, I know you don’t really care about any of us.” His bad eyesight made him unable to see the shocked face on the other engineer. “All you care about are machines and how much better it is compared to human flesh." He points at Dell's right hand. "I know what’s hiding under that glove of yours.”
Dell fists his gloved hand, and a darker part of him is disappointed it’s not metal, while another is relieved. He removes the glove and shows the angry man it’s still out of flesh. Francis stares dumbfounded at the hand, so Dell explains. “The merge of my two souls returned my hand to normal. I dealt with parts of metal from what the side you met did.” He lightly touches the spots he and the doc removed the metal parts. Thanks to the medigun, there aren’t any scars. “I won’t deny that I do consider metal stronger than flesh, but… well, it does not mean I should replace my whole body with it and only think logically as a machine does.”
“Wish you learned that back when your other tried to give me a robot leg.” Francis remarks, he notices Garry leaves the room but he’s more interested in having this talk with the once enemy.
“Why didn’t you get it?” Dell asks confused. “It would’ve—“
“I’m old fashion Dell.” Francis stops him. “If you lose a limp, then you gotta live without that limp.” He touches the googles working as his eyes. “I would’ve accepted this if it happened through a freak accident or if it was my own darn fault. But your medic did this on purpose and he enjoyed every second of it.” Flames appear around his shoulders, making Dell take a step back. “I do not trust any of you from Team Fortress, the only reason I haven’t killed you is because Jack is willing to give you people a chance.” Francis turns back to his task. “I don’t need your pity, so shut up and repair what I no longer can.”
Well, so much in trying to be friendly. Dell can’t really blame him though, can only hope the man gets a bit more receptive when he’s not missing his leg and eyes. “Alright.” He replies softly, walks over and starts repairing the other team sniper’s bow. Keahi joins him, sits on a nearby stool and swings her leg while watching him tinker with the metal bow. She does for a moment eye Francis and before Dell can stop her, she has walked over to him and with a few muffled words summoned a flame in her palms. Francis stares at the flame, then to Dell's surprise. He chuckles. "Yeah, I can only do that when angry." Keahi speaks again, pointing at his hat.
Francis grabs the tip of it. "Just a silly hobby of mine, I'm not really a cowboy." He takes the hat off and puts on Pyro, the firebug claps her hands like an excited child, much to Francis amusement and the smiling man returns back to work.
Dell is quite baffled how the firebug made the man open up, she really has a talent in that it seems. "Don't use your flames, alright." He tells Pyro. "Can't have you burn his hat." Turning to the cowboy dressed man when he remarks. "Don't worry about that, my hat and uniform are fireproof. I learned that the hard way. My team heavy likes to stick near the machines and that is not really helping when his minigun spews out flames like sand caught in a storm."
Dell chuckles. "You think that's bad, try and deal with one who thinks fire is the way of making friends. I have to keep a bucket of water nearby all the time because of Pyro here." Pyro giggles from her spot, Francis looks up in surprise, then laughs. "You have your work cut out for you." That Dell can more than agree on and more than thankful Keahi broke the ice for them.
**Infirmary**
Mikhail had walked inside to be sure Josef haven’t gotten any crazy ideas with Vanguard’s doctor, instead he found the other team doctor has restained and doing some sort of horrific experimenting on Josef which is causing the man tremendous of agony. He didn’t think, merely reacted. With a roar, Mikhail grabs the blond man and throws him into a shelf, half of its contents fall down from the impact. Mikhail turns back to Josef, fear welling up in him when the torn open leg begins to spew out blood in a scarily fast pace. He tries to stop the bleeding but in matter of seconds, Josef bleeds out. Mikhail stares at the dead man for a moment, first in shock how fast Josef died, then he takes note that the wounds are the exact same spots as the male engineer. He turns slowly around to the recovering man. “Explain yourself or I will crush any bone.” He growls dangerously and the doctor better has a good excuse for this.
Tristan corrects his medical coat, must admit this heavy caught him by surprise. “He would’ve done the same.” He brushes off his action but does come on other ideas when Mikhail strong hands grab him around the throat. Seems like there is someone who cares about the German after all. “Alright, alright...!” He wheezes through the death grip. Before he can explain himself though. Marcos must’ve been nearby, for the black dressed spy appears right beside the large Russian, pointing his revolver at the man’s head. “Let go of him, now.” Marcos warns him dead serious, about to warn the rest of the team but Tristan stops him with one of their secret hand signs. Marcos is confused but he does- although slowly- lower his weapon. As hoped, Mikhail releases his grip around his throat. Recovering from almost getting strangled, Tristan explains the man, going to Russian as it sounded like the man still has trouble with the English language. “/I discovered your medic has some passive healing ability, and calculated I could use his stem cells in order to regrow a new leg and eyes for Francis./”
Mikhail blinks surprised that this man can Russia, he does quickly push that aside and asks, also on Russia. “/Where are these stem cells located?/”
“/Practically everywhere in the body, but I needed those found in the bone marrow. I went for the eyes for that reason as well ./” Tristan replies and after a moment he adds. “/His passive healing ability made him nullify analgesic, so I didn’t bother to give him any./”
Mikhail nods slowly, accepting this explanation as a good enough reason for what the man did to Josef. But even if Josef would’ve done the same, it does not mean he will let people experiment on Josef. He will look past it this time but he won’t hesitate to kill Tristan if he finds the man cutting up Josef like that again. “Better got enough stem cells.”
Yeah, he sure hopes so too. Mikhail’s tone makes it clear that if he wants more then he has to fight this man and Tristan does not think he can restrain this man by his water ability nor drown him fast enough before Mikhail here kills him with his bare hands. Tristan nods and leaves to clean up the mess the short struggle caused.
Marcos stares at the large man, quietly giving Mikhail the warning that the Russian has to kill him first before getting to Tristan. Mikhail returns the gaze that this protective nature is mutual and for some weird reason, that gives both men a sort of understanding. Mikhail leaves the doctor and spy in the infirmary and steps inside the room the respawn is programmed to put them after it’s done putting them together.
“Why did you not fight back?” Mikhail asks after Josef has respawned.
Josef looks at his slightly trembling hands, he can feel the magic reacting from Tristan’s harsh words. “I deserved it, knowing how it feels to be at the receiving end...” He muses. He will never tell the stick in the mud doctor this, but in some sense, Josef is thankful Tristan did this to him. A harsh lesson he really needed someone to tell him straight out and won't give him any slack before he shows he is serious in becoming a better person.